DISTORSIO. 35 



Genus DISTORSIO, IJolfcn. 



This genus, in its ringent aperture reminds one of the genus 

 Malta in the Doliidae. 



D. ANUS, Linn. PL H, figs. 173, 174; pi. 15, fig. 153. 



"White, with reddish brown bands ; columellar plate and lip 

 flesh wliite. Length, 2 to 3 inches. 



Red Sea, Indian Ocean, Philippines, Society Islands, 



under stones at low water (("uming). 



The operculum (fig. 174) is curiously modified in form to suit 

 the contracted aperture of the shell, with central nucleus. 



D. CANCELLiNus, Roissy. PL 17, figs. 175-178. 



Yellowish brown, without bands ; spire and canal proportion- 

 ally longer than in D. anus; surface peculiarly divided into 

 squares by the distant, decussating narrow ribs ; epidermis light 

 brown, velvety ; columellar plate and lip varying from very light 

 to dark salmon color. Length, 1-75 to 3 inches. 



Ceylon ; China ; Philippines, in coral sand, 6 fathoms (Cuming) ; 

 St. Thomas and other West Indian Islands ; Monte Christi and 

 Xipixapi, W. Columbia, sandy mud, 7 to 10 fathoms (^Cuming). , 



D. constrictus, Brod (fig. 176) from the West Coast of tropical 

 America, as well as D. ridens (fig. 177) and D. decipieiiH Reeve 

 (fig. 178), from the Philippine Islands have no claim to rank even 

 as varieties. 



D. PusiLLA, Pease. 



Shell solid, oblong ovate, gibbous, somewhat distorted, four or 

 five varices ; whorls beautifully latticed, with rather coarse gran- 

 ular raised ridges and fine microscopic spiral striae ; aperture 

 small, narrow ; outer lip thick, strongly dentated on inner edge, 

 sinuated above ; columella deepl}^ excavated and plicatel}' toothed ; 

 canal short. 



Only a single specimen has been found, too much faded to 

 determine its color. It is pale yellow, with faint traces of brown. 



The above is the original description in full ; it does not give 

 any characters not possessed by D. cancellinus. 



